Visiting Scholar – Professor Chris Butler & Primary Care Research Symposium

It is our pleasure to have Prof Chris Butler, a distinguished scholar in Primary Care from the University of Oxford visit our School from 26 February to 2 March 2024. Professor Butler is the Professor of Primary Care in the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, and the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians Visiting Professor in Family Medicine at The JC School of Public Health and Primary Care (JCSPHPC), CUHK.

Prof Samuel Wong (right), Director of The JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, CUHK presented a souvenir to Prof Chris Butler at the CUHK Primary Care Research Symposium

During his visit, our School arranged a series of activities that advanced knowledge transfer and fostered networking opportunities among students, teachers, researchers, clinicians, healthcare professionals and industry experts. He conducted a lecture titled "Exploring the Methodology of Adaptive Platform Trials," on 27 February 2024, which was a resounding success. The lecture shed light on the transformative potential of adaptive platform trials in primary care, offered efficient and rigorous solutions to pressing patient-centred questions and concluded with an informative Q&A session moderated by Prof Regina Sit, Associate Professor (Clinical) at JCSPHPC.

Professor Chris Butler delivered a presentation on the topic “Exploring the Methodology of Adaptive Platform Trials" on 27 February 2024

Prof Butler also met with individual academic staff, postdoctoral fellows and students to discuss their research plans and strategies. One of the highlights of Prof Butler's visit was the demonstration of his research excellence at the “CUHK Primary Care Research Symposium”, hosted by JCSPHPC on 2 March 2024 . As the keynote speaker, he delivered a presentation themed "Taking Clinical Trials to the People who Matter," echoing the World Health Assembly's call for inclusive clinical trials.

The Symposium was enriched by the sharing of expert speakers, including Dr Francisco Lai from The University of Hong Kong, Dr Ng Ngai Mui and Dr Jiao Fang Fang from the Hospital Authority, and Dr Eric Lee from our School, underscoring the latest developments and insights in primary care research.

Speakers joining us at the Symposium included (from left): Prof Regina Sit, Associate Professor (Clinical), JCSPHPC, CUHK; Dr Francisco Lai, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine & Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong; Prof Samuel Wong, Director of JCSPHPC, CUHK; Prof Chris Butler, Professor of Primary Care, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford; Dr Ng Ngai Mui, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, New Territories West Cluster, Hospital Authority; Dr Jiao Fang Fang, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Kowloon Central Cluster, Hospital Authority and Dr Eric Lee, Associate Professor (Clinical), JCSPHPC, CUHK

Participants actively engaged in the Q&A sessions and had meaningful discussion with speakers

The Symposium served as an exchange platform fostering networking opportunities among researchers, clinicians, healthcare professionals and industry experts

Overall, Prof Chris Butler's visit was a success and has undoubtedly strengthened our research competency, fostered meaningful dialogue and advanced our commitment to impactful research and practice in public health and primary care. We are grateful for the opportunity to meet with and learn from Prof Butler and are inspired by his insightful sharing and invaluable advice.